OBS Chapter 613 Relief
Chapter 613 Relief
Soon, two equally slender figures emerged from the shadows. One was a red-haired boy, his eyes filled with timidity and wariness, yet his pale purple eyes possessed an unusual depth; the other was a blue-haired girl, her expression calm, her long hair flowing smoothly over her shoulders. They were Nagato, the future possessor of the Rinnegan, and Konan, the only female member. They exchanged a glance, seemingly confirming something with their eyes, and ultimately chose to trust Yahiko's judgment, slowly approaching.
Zhang Hai, who had been sitting by the campfire trying to conceal his inner turmoil, jumped to his feet the moment he saw Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan! His heart pounded wildly, like a deafening drumbeat. He never imagined that he would encounter the future core members of Akatsuki here, in such an ordinary cave! Moreover, Nagato, the man with the Rinnegan, who was practically the pinnacle of power in the mid-Naruto era, was now just a thin, red-haired boy! The twists of fate were truly dramatic!
The three ninjas noticed Zhang Hai's unusual behavior, and their sharp eyes, filled with inquiry and curiosity, all turned to look at him.
Zhang Hai clearly realized he had made too much of a commotion, and he knew he had to cover it up immediately. He gave a dry laugh, his voice slightly stiff, and tried to use a clumsy lie to cover up his shock: "Ha...haha, these...these three children...are really cute!" He desperately tried to explain his sudden action of standing up with this reason, and his masked face also tried to put on a "kind" expression.
Tsunade rolled her eyes at Zhang Hai. Of course, she knew he wasn't telling the truth; his reaction was far too strong, and it couldn't be just because he saw "cute children." But she didn't press him further, instead turning her gaze back to the three children.
In the short time that followed, Yahiko had broken the dry bread into three pieces and given them to Nagato and Konan. The three boys accepted the food, still somewhat wary, but the hunger in their eyes made it impossible for them to resist. Tsunade watched them wolf down the food, feeling a slight displeasure—after all, she was still preparing to test Zhang Hai's training results, and the food was originally meant for her—but ultimately said nothing more.
After a short rest, the four of them embarked on their journey back to Konoha. The rain was still falling, but their feelings were quite different.
On his journey home, Zhang Hai was deeply troubled. He kept recalling the faces of Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan. He knew clearly that these three were the future true leaders of the Akatsuki, beings who would bring immense turmoil to the ninja world. Among them, Nagato's Rinnegan was practically the pinnacle of power in the mid-Naruto world! He never imagined that he would encounter them at this time, in this way.
Memories of the past kept replaying in his mind: Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan—these three were Jiraiya's disciples in Amegakure. The trajectory of history was so precise; at this very moment, in this very place, they met again.
A terrifying thought, like a venomous snake, began to sprout in his mind—should he make a move against Nagato, who was "still an ordinary person"? Nagato was still very weak at the moment; if he could seize the opportunity to obtain his Rinnegan… he could even prevent most of the future disasters of the ninja world, and perhaps even increase his own strength to a higher level. This idea clashed fiercely in his mind, engaging in a fierce internal struggle with his deeply held moral principles.
"Zhang Hai?"
Suddenly, Tsunade's voice interrupted Zhang Hai's inner turmoil, pulling him out of his intense internal struggle.
Tsunade turned to look at the distance behind them, where Yahiko and the other two were following closely. She frowned slightly, and asked them with a hint of confusion, "We already gave you food, so why are you still following us?"
Hearing Yahiko's direct rejection, especially in front of the Sannin, Zhang Hai was extremely displeased. He had never been so disliked before, especially not in such a setting. A surge of anger rose within him, and he even wanted to draw his sword and teach this arrogant brat a lesson. However, he ultimately restrained himself, took a deep breath, and tried to calm the turmoil within him.
Jiraiya, observing Zhang Hai's stiff posture and Yahiko's blunt refusal, couldn't help but feel a surge of curiosity. He turned to Zhang Hai and asked, "Zhang Hai, do you know these three children? Why are you so concerned about them?"
Zhang Hai's mind raced. He couldn't reveal information about the future, nor could he expose his desire for the Rinnegan. Finally, he sighed and removed his mask. His face, too young yet bearing a mature air honed by battle, was revealed. He looked at Jiraiya, his tone tinged with coincidence and casualness: "I don't know them, just a chance encounter. I happened to run into them while passing through Amegakure on a mission last time. I didn't expect to meet them again." He tried to make his tone sound nonchalant, as if it were truly just an ordinary chance meeting.
Looking at Zhang Hai's unusually youthful face, Yahiko felt a sense of familiarity, but couldn't quite place where he had seen him before. He scratched his head, pondering in confusion.
However, Xiao Nan's blue eyes suddenly lit up. Pointing at Zhang Hai, she reminded Ya Yan with a hint of surprise, "Ya Yan! He's the little brother who gave us money last time!"
Upon hearing this, Yahiko suddenly realized who it was, and a sincere smile appeared on his face as he expressed his gratitude to Zhang Hai: "So it was you! Thank you so much for last time!"
However, no one present noticed that when Nagato saw Zhang Hai, his pale purple eyes, hidden beneath his red hair, were now filled with unfathomable fear. He involuntarily took two steps back, his body trembling slightly. In his eyes, the boy before him, though young in appearance, seemed shrouded in an abyss of darkness—an aura far deeper and more terrifying than any powerful figure he had ever encountered, sending a chill down his spine. He didn't see Zhang Hai's future; rather, he instinctively sensed a power deep within Zhang Hai's soul, a power beyond this world, far surpassing that of ordinary ninjas.
Tsunade, overhearing this conversation, was somewhat surprised that Zhang Hai had actually given alms to these children in Amegakure. Recalling Zhang Hai's earlier complaints about being broke, she said to him with a slightly sarcastic tone, "Heh, I didn't expect you to have money to help others, huh?"